Friday, February 26, 2016

The animal right's group Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) acquired records showing seven animals have died at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute in three years.

The national research watchdog group Stop Animal Exploitation Now (SAEN) says it obtained a federal document from January 28 that shows an infant baboon died at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute because of mishandling. A female baboon was also injured.

According to a USDA inspection report, the death occurred after the baby and female baboon were being transferred through a chute system that three male baboons were able to access. An investigation determined that the death and injury occurred due to miscommunication between employees, according to the inspection report.

That January report totals five violations, including "improper euthanasia methods, exceeding animal use limits for two projects, and filing fraudulent reports with the USDA," SAEN says in a press release.

"Negligence at the Texas Biomedical Research Institute laboratory has now killed seven monkeys through strangulation, trauma, and being crushed," Michael A. Budkie, SAEN executive director, says in a press release. "Two more have died unnecessarily within TBRI's Breeder facility. It is absolutely critical that the USDA take action against TBRI quickly to prevent even more deaths."